Shower Curtain Liner Object Support System

ABSTRACT

A shower curtain liner object support system for securely supporting one or more objects on the inside of a shower curtain liner. The shower curtain liner object support system generally includes a shower curtain liner and a plurality of hook devices attached to an interior surface of the shower curtain liner. The plurality of hook device each include a latch that is biased towards a closed position, wherein an object is allowed to be positioned upon the hook device and removed from the hook device by manipulating the state of the latch.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable to this application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a shower curtain liner and more specifically it relates to a shower curtain liner object support system for securely supporting one or more objects on the inside of a shower curtain liner.

Description of the Related Art

Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

Shower curtain liners have been in use for years to prevent water from a shower from escaping the shower. A conventional shower curtain liner is typically comprised of a sheet of plastic or other type of flexible material that is slidably connected to a curtain rod with a plurality of rings. There are various types of support products available for supporting objects with respect to a wall of a shower such as trays, open hooks and the like. These support products may be attached to the wall of the shower using a suction cup or adhesive. Using a plurality of support products on the interior wall of the shower wall results in clutter and potential damage to the surface of the shower wall with the usage of adhesive. None of the support products available on the market today support an object with respect to the interior surface of a shower curtain liner.

Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved shower curtain liner object support system for securely supporting one or more objects on the inside of a shower curtain liner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a shower curtain liner which includes a shower curtain liner and a plurality of hook devices attached to an interior surface of the shower curtain liner. The plurality of hook device each include a latch that is biased towards a closed position, wherein an object is allowed to be positioned upon the hook device and removed from the hook device by manipulating the state of the latch.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of the present invention used within a tub and shower.

FIG. 2a is a front view of the present invention with the shower curtain liner extended.

FIG. 2b is a front view of the present invention with the shower curtain liner retracted.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hook device with the latch in the closed position.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the hook device with the latch in the open position.

FIG. 6 is a front upper perspective view of the hook device attached to the interior surface of the shower curtain liner.

FIG. 7 is a rear upper perspective view of the hook device.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the hook device attached to the interior surface of the shower curtain liner.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the hook device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Overview.

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 through 9 illustrate a shower curtain liner object support system 10, which comprises a shower curtain liner 20 and a plurality of hook devices 40 attached to an interior surface 22 of the shower curtain liner 20. The plurality of hook device 40 each include a latch 50 that is biased towards a closed position, wherein an object 60 is allowed to be positioned upon the hook device 40 and removed from the hook device 40 by manipulating the state of the latch 50.

The present invention may be utilized to support one or more lightweight objects 60 such as, but not limited to, wash clothes, small towels, shower scrubbers, shower sponge, shower loofah, brushes and the like. The object 60 may have a looped strap 62 that is used to connect to the hooked device as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The present invention may be used in a tub 12 with a shower wall 14 or in a shower without a tub 12. The present invention may also be utilized in a tub 12 without a shower wall 14.

B. Shower Curtain Liner.

The shower curtain liner 20 is comprised of a sheet material having an interior surface 22, an exterior surface 24 opposite of the interior surface 22, an upper end 26, a lower end 28 opposite of the upper end 26, a first end 21 and a second end 23 opposite of the first end 21. The upper end 26 is parallel with respect to the lower end 28 of the shower curtain liner 20 as best illustrated in FIG. 2a of the drawings.

The upper end 26 and lower end 28 are both horizontally aligned when the shower curtain liner 20 is attached to a shower curtain rod 16 at the upper end 26. A plurality of rings 18 extend through apertures in the upper end 26 of the shower curtain liner 20 and surround the shower curtain rod 16 to allow the shower curtain liner 20 to be expanded (FIGS. 1, 2 a) or retracted (FIG. 2b ).

The first end 21 and second end 23 are both vertically aligned and parallel with respect to one another. The height of the shower curtain liner 20 is sufficient to extend downwardly from the shower curtain rod 16 to near the floor in the tub 12.

The shower curtain liner 20 is comprised of a flexible sheet material such as, but not limited to, plastic or fabric. The shower curtain liner 20 may be transparent, semi-transparent or opaque.

C. Hook Devices.

One or more hook devices 40 are attached to the interior surface 22 of the shower curtain liner 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 2 b of the drawings. The hook devices 40 are each adapted to receive, support, secure and selectively release a corresponding object 60 such as a wash cloth. It is important for the hook device 40 to be capable of securing the object 60 to prevent accidental removal thereof from the hook device 40 since the shower curtain liner 20 is a flexible material that is frequently moved when the user enters and leaves the shower. Furthermore, when the object 60 is attached to the hook device 40 the hook device 40 will pivot forwardly with respect to the shower curtain liner 20 because of the inherent flexibility in the shower curtain liner 20 so it is important to prevent the object 60 from accidentally being released from the hook device 40. The hook device 40 is preferably comprised of a hook with a latch 50 wherein the latch 50 may be selectively opened to allow for the attachment of the object 60 and biasedly closed to secure the object 60 on the hook device 40.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 a of the drawings, the plurality of hook devices 40 are distally spaced apart from one another along a lower portion of the interior surface 22 of the shower curtain liner 20 in a horizontally aligned row. The plurality of hook devices 40 may be attached to the interior surface 22 of the shower curtain liner 20 in a non-linear manner and in an angled manner. The hook devices 40 are further preferably equidistantly spaced apart from one another as illustrated in FIG. 2a of the drawings, however, the hook devices 40 may have differing distances between thereof. It is preferable to position the hook devices 40 in the lower portion of the shower curtain liner 20 to reduce the chance of engagement by the user in the shower and to utilize the interior portion of the wall of the tub 12 as additional support for the shower curtain liner 20 thereby reducing the amount of forward pivoting of the hook device 40 when the object 60 is attached to the hook device 40 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a of the drawings.

The hook devices 40 are preferably constructed of a rigid material such as, but not limited to, plastic or hard rubber. The hook devices 40 are preferably rigid to adequately support the object 60. While the present invention may have one or more hook devices 40, the singular usage of hook device 40 is intended to encompass a plurality of hook devices 40 also.

The hook device 40 includes a base 30 and a hook portion extending from the base 30. The base 30 includes a first surface 32 and a second surface 34 that is opposite of the first surface 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 9 of the drawings. The first surface 32 is attached to the interior surface 22 of the shower curtain liner 20 (e.g. with a fastener, adhesive). The base 30 may be attached to the shower curtain liner 20 at the factory prior to retail sale or as an aftermarket item. The base 30 is comprised of a broad and flat structure to provide additional support on the shower curtain liner 20 and to limit the amount of forward pivoting of the hook device 40 when supporting the object 60. The height of the base 30 is further preferably longer than the width of the base 30 to further prevent a significant amount of forward tilting when the object 60 is attached to the hook device 40. The base 30 is parallel with respect to the interior surface 22 of the shower curtain liner 20 when attached as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

A hook portion extends outwardly and downwardly from the second surface 34 of the base 30 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 8 of the drawings. The hook portion forms an opening 42 with the base 30 which the object 60 or the strap 62 of the object 60 passes through for attachment or removal of the object 60 with respect to the hook device 40. The hook portion is comprised of a straight portion 44 extending outwardly and downwardly from the second surface 34 of the base 30, a curved portion 46 extending from the straight portion 44 and an end portion 48 extending from the curved portion 46 as best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The opening 42 for receiving and releasing the object 60 is formed between the end portion 48 and the base 30 as best illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

The hook device 40 preferably includes a latch 50 to prevent the accidental release of an object 60 from the hook device 40. The latch 50 has a closed position as shown in FIG. 4 and an open position as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. The closed position for the latch 50 prevents the object 60 from passing through the opening 42 thereby securely retaining the object 60 on the hook device 40. The open position for the latch 50 allows the object 60 to pass through the opening 42 for attaching the object 60 to the hook device 40 or removing the object 60 from the hook device 40. The latch 50 extends from the second surface 34 of the base 30 towards the end portion 48 of the hook portion when in the closed position and may be integrally formed with the base 30. The latch 50 is preferably an elongated member as illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

The latch 50 is preferably biased towards the closed position. The latch 50 may be pivotally attached to the base 30 with a spring or other biasing device that forces the latch 50 into the closed position to close the opening 42 as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings. However, the latch 50 may be comprised of a resilient member that is attached to and extending from the base 30 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 6 of the drawings. The resilient material (e.g. plastic, hard rubber) of the latch 50 allows the latch 50 to be moved by the user into the open position thereby exposing the opening 42 as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

D. Operation of Preferred Embodiment.

In use, the user attaches the shower curtain liner 20 to the shower curtain rod 16 so the shower curtain liner 20 may slide from a retracted position to an expanded position. The user then attaches one or more objects 60 to the hook devices 40 as desired. To attach the object 60, the user depresses the latch 50 to expose the opening 42 and then inserts a portion of the object 60 through the opening 42 onto the hook portion of the hook device 40. The user then releases the latch 50 which is then biased towards the closed position to securely retain the object 60 on the hook device 40. This process is repeated for each of the objects 60 and hook devices 40 to be used. When the object 60 is desired to be used, the user depresses the latch 50 thereby exposing the opening 42 and releasing the object 60 which is then removed by the user. The user then releases the latch 50 which automatically closes. This provides convenient access to various types of objects 60 typically used in a shower from the convenience of the shower curtain liner 20. When the user is finished showering, the shower curtain liner 20 is retracted wherein the objects 60 are maintaining in a distally spaced relationship because of the spacing between the hook devices 40 as illustrated in FIG. 2b of the drawings.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described above. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A shower curtain liner object support system, comprising: a shower curtain liner having an interior surface, an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface, an upper end, a lower end opposite of the upper end, a first end and a second end opposite of the first end, wherein said shower curtain liner is comprised of a flexible sheet material; and at least one hook device attached to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner, wherein said hook device is adapted to receive and support an object.
 2. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 1, wherein said hook device is comprised of a rigid material.
 3. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 2, wherein said hook device is comprised of a plastic material.
 4. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 2, wherein said hook device is comprised of a hard rubber material.
 5. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 1, wherein said hook device includes a base having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface is attached to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner.
 6. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 5, wherein said hook device includes a hook portion that extends outwardly and downwardly from said second surface of said base.
 7. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 6, wherein said hook portion is comprised of a straight portion extending outwardly and downwardly from said second surface of said base, a curved portion extending from said straight portion and an end portion extending from said curved portion, wherein an opening for receiving the object is formed between said end portion and said base.
 8. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 8, wherein said hook device includes a latch, wherein said latch has a closed position and an open position, wherein said closed position prevents the object from passing through said opening and wherein said open position allows the object to pass through the opening.
 9. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 8, wherein said latch is biased towards said closed position.
 10. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 9, wherein said latch extends from said second surface of said base towards said end portion of said hook portion when in said closed position.
 11. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 10, wherein said latch is comprised of a resilient material.
 12. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 11, wherein said latch is integrally formed with said base.
 13. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 10, wherein said latch is comprised of an elongated member.
 14. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 5, wherein said base is comprised of a broad and flat structure, wherein said base is parallel with respect to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner.
 15. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 1, wherein said hook device is comprised of a hook with a latch.
 16. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 15, wherein said latch is biased towards a closed position.
 17. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 1, wherein said hook device is positioned within a lower portion of said interior surface of said shower curtain liner.
 18. A shower curtain liner object support system, comprising: a shower curtain liner having an interior surface, an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface, an upper end, a lower end opposite of the upper end, a first end and a second end opposite of the first end, wherein said shower curtain liner is comprised of a flexible sheet material; and at least one hook device attached to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner, wherein said hook device is adapted to receive and support a corresponding object; wherein said hook device includes a base having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface is attached to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner; wherein said hook device includes a hook portion that extends outwardly and downwardly from said second surface of said base forming an opening with said base; wherein said hook device includes a latch, wherein said latch has a closed position and an open position, wherein said closed position prevents the object from passing through said opening and wherein said open position allows the object to pass through the opening.
 19. The shower curtain liner object support system of claim 18, wherein said at least one hook device is comprised of a plurality of hook devices attached to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner, wherein said plurality of hook devices are distally spaced apart from one another along a lower portion of said interior surface of said shower curtain liner in a horizontally aligned row.
 20. A shower curtain liner object support system, comprising: a shower curtain liner having an interior surface, an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface, an upper end, a lower end opposite of the upper end, a first end and a second end opposite of the first end, wherein said shower curtain liner is comprised of a flexible sheet material; and a plurality of hook devices attached to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner, wherein said plurality of hook devices are each adapted to receive and support a corresponding object, wherein said plurality of hook devices are distally spaced apart from one another along a lower portion of said interior surface of said shower curtain liner in a horizontally aligned row; wherein each of said plurality of hook devices are comprised of: a rigid material; a base having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface is attached to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner, wherein said base is comprised of a broad and flat structure, wherein said base is parallel with respect to said interior surface of said shower curtain liner; a hook portion that extends outwardly and downwardly from said second surface of said base forming an opening with said base, wherein said hook portion is comprised of a straight portion extending outwardly and downwardly from said second surface of said base, a curved portion extending from said straight portion and an end portion extending from said curved portion, wherein an opening for receiving the object is formed between said end portion and said base; and a latch, wherein said latch has a closed position and an open position, wherein said closed position prevents the object from passing through said opening and wherein said open position allows the object to pass through the opening, wherein said latch is biased towards said closed position, wherein said latch extends from said second surface of said base towards said end portion of said hook portion when in said closed position. 